By John Powell – GlobalTV.com

Drag queen Jason De Puy got more than he bargained for in the Big Brother house. He was hated by fans. He was loved by fans. He found a straight friend and a hater. He also found out who Jason De Puy out of drag, beyond the glitz and glamour of Salina EsTitties.

John Powell: Jason, it’s wonderful to see you today. How are you doing?

Jason: So good, John. How are you?

John Powell: Fine, thank you. Now, you’ve been able to sit back, relax, think about this season. How are you feeling today?

Jason: Today, I’m just overwhelmed at the support and love I didn’t know existed.

John Powell: One of the things that was really heartbreaking for me watching was when you were upset and you thought America hated you. Being on the outside I know what the reaction has been and it’s like I want to reach into the house, shake you and tell you how much many fans love you.

Jason: Totally, dude. I hear a lot of my friends are filling me up on how I got a lot of flack those first three episodes for my stuff with Angela and to hear that was very disheartening but also I’m not surprised. I’ve gotten a lot of flack from Drag Race back in the day. A lot of lot of haters. I’m used to having haters so that’s why I was I was willing to be like: Hate me! right? I’m used to this hate.

My mom was passing away while I was on Drag Race that first time and I was getting death threats as my mom died…I know how to compartmentalize my feelings and understand that : ‘Oh, America hates me while my mom’s dying.’ It’s the worst feeling ever, dude…To learn that there was such a quick uptick and their was support for me because of the tea party in less than seven days, that is like I have goosebumps right now! It’s like it’s beyond crazy to me that people could switch so fast from hating me to like like being on my side! I think what showcases there is like my humanness. You know, people wanted to root for a human all of a sudden because I’m not just a drag queen.

John Powell: Talking about feelings, you had a rocky relationship in the house with Kamu. How do you feel about him?

Jason: Yeah, dude. The first week we were actually really cool and we were actually building a friendship. He wanted to do this alliance with me, Drew and Melody because we were the ones who were always up late and we’d had so much fun together. So, I even used that to my advantage at one point when I felt like they were targeting me to try to make Kamu seem like he’s not with them which it felt like maybe he was down to not be.

In a way, me and Kamu were kind of on the same page. When that started to shift, I could tell there was something going on. I was like: “Why does he not like me? What is this about?” I was already on the bottom. My game was already been aired out. Why is he doubling down on me? Why am I his target? I thought we were cool. I thought the Rome thing was what that was. What’s going on, dude? It was interesting to come out the house and to learn who he is as a person was exactly who I expected he was in the house. I was not surprised but looking back now it makes sense.

John Powell: Well, there’s one person who is a big fan of yours: Rome. I spoke to him last week. He watched the tea party and he said to me that his heart was breaking and he just wanted to give you a big hug.

Jason: It’s really weird that I really have a true friend in Rome. I know we’re playing a game. I know it’s just a game but I could tell that Rome had my back.

Every day I missed him more and more because no one wanted to play with me after the Devon blow up, after the Angela fight. No one wanted to play with me. I was a liability to anyone’s game at that point even to Lyric’s who was in the Love Triangle with us. I could sense her pulling away, rightfully so. I get it! I get it! No one wants to play with the messy bitch. I understand but that was that was really hard to already feel isolated when they were coming for my number one.

It hurt to to not have a number one and to see that no one else wanted to play with me after he left. Coming out of the house it’s more clear to me that I trust Rome more than I trust some of my own friends. I’s very cool. He’s been chatting with me and I just miss the guy.

I’ve never had a straight friend like this before. I don’t have any straight friends. A lot of our interactions as gay guys sometimes hinge on being attracted to each other and flirting with each other. There’s none of that with Rome. It’s pure friendship. The attraction stuff’s taken out of it since he is straight and that’s how I know he’s a real, real, real, true friend.

John Powell: What has surprised you the most watching everything back, Jason?

Jason: Just how I didn’t realize people were already playing the game before I started playing the game. To learn that Drew had already teamed up with the Icons I thought: “Dang! I should have teamed up with the icons when Rachel was there. I should have already started, it was something Rachel was kind of pushing me to do.

John Powell: I’ve watched all the different Big Brothers from all over the world, UK and other places, and I want to get your perspective on this because they have put in like two gay men into the house. There have been gay showmances, especially on Big Brother UK, that have transcended the house. That doesn’t seem to be the thing with USA. What do you think that is?

Jason: I mean, it would be a totally different game had I had another queer person in there. Yeah, it’d be so different, dude. My first 10 minutes, I broke down crying because I thought Barrett was gay. I thought I had someone that would automatically bond us. Having another queer person so I wouldn’t feel so alone. I would have had more confidence to play the game. Community would have already been built into the game.

My experience as a queer person so different from theirs and like it’s not a victim thing. It’s not a: “Boo! Hoo! Poor gay guy’s all alone!’ That’s not what I’m talking about. It’s about having community in there and I had to build community with people I don’t normally have community with in my real life. That alone is a struggle, right?

John Powell: Was that a good thing for you, though? You’re building a community with people you didn’t normally hang around with. Was that a positive thing for you?

Jason: Totally, and it was so eye-opening to me because I don’t have straight people in my life like that. I wanted to go in there and learn who Jason is…I learned a lot about myself. I learned I can hang out with the bros! I could work out in the morning with the guys and then I can go in the kitchen and cook with the girls! I don’t cook in my real life. My kitchen is is a storage room for my drag. (laughs) It helped me grow as a person to have to be around them.

John Powell: I just want to ask you that we didn’t get to see Selena. Now, was going on the show was that part of you branching outside of Selena? Is that one of your goals that you want to accomplish?

Jason: It’s what I wanted. I don’t know Jason very well because I’m always Selena. The world got to learn who Jason was while I learned who I was. The Tea Party was exactly who I was and that that was something I was very proud of to stand up for myself.

Big Brother airs Wednesdays (8:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT), Thursdays (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) live eviction show hosted by Julie Chen Moonves, and Sundays (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT). Big Brother: Unlocked airs Fridays (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on July 24, Aug. 7, Sept. 4, Sept. 18 and Sept. 25 on Global TV.